Fighting in France | Page 8

from that washstand over there, Earl,"
Leon directed his brother.
This was quickly done and the wound was bathed. The skin had been
broken and the blood flowed freely, but it was nothing serious. The
cold compress soon revived Jacques and a few moments later he was
apparently as well as ever.
"Feel all right, Jacques?" asked Earl.
"Never better."
"You'd better lie down here on this bed for a little while."
"I should say not," exclaimed Jacques warmly. "We were sent in here
to rout out the enemy and that's what we must do. There are surely
more of them than we have seen."
"Next time we must be more careful going into rooms like this,"
advised Leon. "It doesn't pay just to go ahead blindly."
"Come," urged Jacques, and he led the way out of the little room down
the narrow passageway leading they knew not where.
Cautiously they slunk along, their eyes strained to see through the dim
light of the underground passage. The noise of the great cannonade
above came to their ears but faintly here. A hoarse rumbling and a
trembling of the earth was the sole evidence that over their heads the
opposing armies were hurling tons of metal at each other.
"There's a turn just ahead," whispered Jacques cautiously. "Be ready."
Every sense alert the three young soldiers proceeded slowly. Soon they
came to the spot where the passage led off to the left. Jacques peered
cautiously around the corner and quickly drew back his head.
"Come," he whispered, beckoning to his two companions. "Have your
grenades ready."

All three boys took hand grenades in their right hands and prepared for
instant action.
"Lean your rifles against the wall here," Jacques directed.
This done, they crept stealthily forward, the grenades in their right
hands and their automatic revolvers in their left. Making almost no
sounds, they walked gingerly around the corner of the passage and
there before their eyes they saw what had caused Jacques to draw back
so speedily a few moments before. Standing in the center of a little
room similar to the one they had just left were six Germans.
Their plan had been to steal upon their foes, taking them by surprise
and forcing them to surrender. This plan was unexpectedly thrown
awry however. One of the rifles leaned against the wall of the passage
slipped; it fell to the ground carrying the others with it and a loud
clatter was the result.
"Hein!" exclaimed one of the Germans wheeling quickly in the
direction whence the noise came. Seeing three French soldiers stealing
towards him he instantly whipped out his revolver and fired.
Leon, Jacques and Earl ducked quickly and instinctively.
"Let 'em have it!" shouted Leon and he let fly his hand grenade.
Straight down the passageway it sped and a tremendous explosion
instantly occurred. The little room was filled with smoke and the three
young soldiers could not see what was taking place in front of them.
Earl too hurled his deadly handbomb into the chamber and a second
explosion instantly took place.
"That's the way!" shouted Jacques. "That'll fix them I guess!"
All of the Germans had not been disposed of however. A moment later
the sharp crack of a revolver sounded from behind the wall of smoke
and a bullet winging its way through the half-light tore Jacque's hat
from his head. Another and still another shot followed the first.

"That's enough of that," muttered the young Frenchman grimly and his
hand-grenade took the same course that the two others had followed. A
deafening concussion ensued and then all was still.
"Keep back against the wall," warned Leon. "Have your pistols ready."
Crouching low and keeping as far away from the center of the passage
as possible the three boys awaited developments. Every boy grasped
his revolver firmly in his right hand and peered eagerly in the direction
of their enemies. Not a sound came from the room where the Germans
had been assembled.
"They're all dead I guess," whispered Earl at length.
"Don't be so sure," cautioned Leon. "Wait a minute longer."
With muscles tense and every nerve alert the three young soldiers
waited. It seemed as if the smoke from the three explosions would
never lift and the three boys felt as if hours had elapsed before they
could catch a glimpse of the room. Finally however the atmosphere
cleared away and they saw the results of their work.
"Let's go in there," exclaimed Jacques.
"Go slow," warned Leon. "It may be a trap."
"We'll be ready for them," said Jacques. "Come along."
Prepared for instant action, the three boys cautiously approached the
tiny room. They were fearful of a surprise attack but their fears proved
to be groundless. On the floor lay the bodies